


Revivify

by AzaMack



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Not Really Character Death, Resurrection, artagan is the traveler, in the most literal of ways, just everyone saying good things about caleb, no one stays dead, ships are pretty minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 18:41:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14960004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzaMack/pseuds/AzaMack
Summary: A nightly watch goes wrong, but, hopefully, in a way that can be fixed.Alternatively: everyone has a good cry and shares some good vibes. Deceptively happy.





	Revivify

**Author's Note:**

> This all stemmed from me NEEDING Nott to stop comparing Jester to Caleb and snowballed from there. What better way to do that than a spell that only she can do??? Also starring Artagan as the Traveler bc why not. 
> 
> This is meant to take place a little while down the road so imagine some more stuff has transpired between AHEM certain peeps.

It all happened so fast.

The goblins surprised them while they were camping out in the woods, so close to their destination they would have made it by midday tomorrow. Jester couldn't help thinking this was her fault. They had finished their mission for the Gentleman, a long standing ally that was proving more and more advantageous with each mission completed. They were on the way back, but Jester just had to suggest they take a detour to Hupperduke before they made their way back to Zedash. Stupid. Selfish. Naive.

Caleb and Nott took first watch, the wizard’s lights illuminating the campsite but also drawing attention to it. Jester wasn't awake to see it, but, upon coming to, she got a good view of what had transpired in the few seconds it took for her companions to rouse them.

Caleb had two arrows imbedded in his chest, blood soaking his shirt as he lay back on the ground drained of consciousness. In the quick glance she got she knew something was wrong. Two arrows shouldn't have been too bad. Caleb had gotten much stronger than when they first came together, it didn't make sense. But then upon second glance she took note of the placement of the intrusions. They reminded her of Nott and how deft she was at placing her shots in the most opportune spots whilst her opponents we're distracted or unaware. These goblins were trained rogues, and that was very bad.

The bad didn't get better.

Like most of their previous encounters with the little monsters, these goblins were not alone and within seconds the group was descended upon by a pack of not-quite-wolves with what appeared to be jagged bones protruding from their backs.

While the rest of her party worked to subdue the ambushers, Jester got Caleb back up. However, she was a little slow from just waking up, and she could tell Caleb may have been under for longer than was comfortable. 

It was then that all hell broke loose. Two of the wolf-like creatures broke through the defensive line created by their friends and ran right toward the two of them. Jester was apt enough with her shield to avoid the blows but Caleb, still lying prone on the ground, was not as lucky. With one bite he was out again.

Jester knew she would have to get rid of the beasts before tending to Caleb would do any good, so she took an offensive stance and blinded the two creatures. For good measure, she summoned her spiritual weapon and took a good swing at the one that had taken a bite out of the wizard.

Taking a look at the rest of the area she deduced that while the less intelligent beasts had been taking up her focus, her comrades had deftly taken care of the rest of the assailants and were now turning to her and Caleb's aid. Volleys of bolts and spells came crashing at them while Beau, Yasha, and Molly ran towards the blinded creatures to finish them off.

Feeling secure, Jester turned back to Caleb and placed her hands over his wounds. She muttered a brief incantation taught to her by the Traveler, and felt her divine energy coarse through her and into Caleb.

A moment passed. And nothing changed.

“Caleb? Caaaaaleb?” She patted his cheek a little trying to remember he and Nott's little code they used. After the last incident where Jester mistook the play for an actual casualty, the duo made sure to explain their tactics to the group. “Everything is dead! You don't need to play New Books or whatever!”

No response. 

Before she could try again, she was pushed aside by a small green blur. For a second Jester jumped but gathered quickly that this was Their small green blur.

Nott looked upon the mage’s prone form frantically, “Caleb! Are you alright?... Caleb?” She placed her cheek on his chest for a second before she shot up with a yelp. “CALEB!” Nott then turned her gaze to the tiefling, yellow eyes slit so drastically that the pupils where near invisible, faint black lines almost vibrating with panic, “J-jester do something! His hearts not beating!”

Jester was not very familiar with the cold, but she imagined what she felt in that moment- this moment- is similar to the experience most people have after getting a bucket of ice water dumped over their head. “I-I!” Her mouth finds it hard to actually form around words. Her brain hasn't actually formulated any to say. She’s panicking. Her hands and knees shake, and it takes all her strength and will to even move herself from the spot where she feels like her entire body is hardening and freezing. With that stilted movement she forces herself to run back to her cot, tripping five feet into the process and crawling the rest of the short distance to her pack. There she shakily grabs for her haversack, reaching in and thanking the Traveler that she need only think of the item she required and not actually have to rummage for it in her frantic state. Her hand quickly retracts with what she needs, three diamonds she had purchased recently, all worth one hundred gold pieces each. They clink together rapidly in her unsteady hands as she makes her way back, more carefully this time lest she drop one and spend anymore of Caleb’s fleeting time finding it. If she doesn't start the spell within what is now probably about thirty seconds, he would be gone for good.

Wasting no time, Jester hastily places the diamonds on his chest, right in between his two wounds. She then begins the incantation, one she has been practicing religiously before bed and in the mornings since the Traveler granted her it's incredible power. Her hand moves in circular motions above Caleb’s chest, just as He had taught her, little flourishes filled with emotion at the places she could feel the tracest elements of Caleb, in some form, still hanging on. While her mouth works around practiced words, her mind focuses on her desperate prayer.

Please, Traveler. Please help me bring him back.

A familiar voice rings out right next to her ear, but she doesn't dare to look as the words wash over her, strengthening her resolve. 

“Of course child. I am happy to help,” Jester hears a few gasps around her, but her eyes still do not stray from her friend in front of her. She sees movement on Caleb's right side as Nott scuttles back a few feet, glowing yellow eyes now angling up in the direction of Jester's shoulder. The one where she hears the voice. She feels a hand grasp her shoulder and the warmth of it spreads through her. The voice begins again, “But… life can not be traded for measly monetary value, I’m afraid.” The voice, previously whispering to her now resonates throughout the small clearing. “If you want this man returned to you, his worth to you must be proven. Bring yourselves to him and bare your souls so that his may latch onto their strength. If the bond appears true I will honor the connection and help mend the tear.” The hand on Jester’s shoulder lifts and a resounding snap goes off right next to her ear. “Let the ritual... begin.”

With that, the dark forest, which had been previously left dark in the absence of their magicians light, illuminates with small pastel beacons of light. The motes glow in varying shades of greens, pinks, purples and blues, hundred floating gently around them, bobbing up and down in a slow, soothing rhythm. Jester’s eyes seem to glow as well, the purple irises casting her face with a cool glow.

They all stand in silence for a moment, taking in the ethereal scene before them. Both surprisingly and not, it is Beau that disturbs the calm. The monk, just a few paces away after slaying one of the dire wolves, approaches Caleb quietly. With the ritual accepted and underway, Jester allows herself to look away from Caleb's prone form, head resting on her lap like a pillow, and turns her face to Beau. Her strong jaw in clenched and, with the added light her eyes and the fairy lights provide, she can she the slight motion that signifies the grinding of teeth. 

“Listen, uh, I know we don't always agree on stuff, and it's really irritating. We're both pretty shitty people, but in very different ways. It’s why I'm always calling you out on it all the time. It's good. Constructive criticism from the other side of the coin, I guess.” Jester looks at her with warning glare that insists, This is not the time, until she sees a slight gleam on Beau’s cheek. It is visible only due to the pastel light reflecting off the wet surface. A single tear falls onto Caleb's chest, right next to the diamonds. The monk takes a deep breath through her nose that sounds remarkably like a sniffle, “And I need you there to do the same for me, you know?” Her toned, slightly bloody forearm wipes harshly against her eyes and nose. “I'm abrasive, and I don't really think of how the things I say will affect people. I’ve hurt you with things I said, and no matter how many examples Fjord has made out of our daily interactions with strangers, that? Hurting someone I actually care about? Has been the only thing that really made me want to change.” She pulls out one of her throwing stars, smirking sadly as she squats to place it on his chest. “I also need my wingman, dude. I know this is, like, a pretty shitty offering for something like this but… this was from the first time I trusted you. I gave you that money and -not gonna lie- a small part of me didn't expect to get it back, but the bigger part knew I would. You're a con man but you respect your friends, and I dig that. And then, not only did you come back with change but also this weird strategy to create a moment between me and Yasha? Don't get me wrong, it was kinda weird but also real sweet in a very you kinda way. I'm gonna need a lot more help if I ever want to win her heart for real, ya know?” The tears fall freely now as she slouches in on herself, pinching the bridge of her nose, eyebrows drawn together.

Another silent moment passes through the campsite before a gentle white hand shakes Beau from her grief, coaxing her to stand. Beau looks into Yasha’s similarly tear filled eyes and manages a shaky smile. The barbarian meets it for a fraction of a second before breaking eye contact and giving the monk’s shoulder a few awkward, hardy pats.

Beau can't hold back a wet laugh, though it's weak. “See dude, I don't know how you do it. Must be magic. Awkward, yet endearing magic.” A blush makes its way to Yasha’s face which is still angled away, but a soft smile grows there as well.

The moment is ended quickly by a forced throat clearing and a gentle one-handed shove past Beau.

“Now, now, that's touching and all -love you both- but I believe the applicable love story deserves a turn now.” Molly taunts, but his usual bravado is strained and his practiced saunter slows to a solemn halt in front on Caleb. “Hello, Mr. Caleb.”

With the least grace he has ever moved, Molly just about crumples to the ground. He looks at Caleb for a good thirty seconds before even flinching. Tears begin to flow, but the usually expressive face remains frighteningly still. “This-this isn't fair.” 

The tiefling finally moves, turning so that his legs splay to the side, and his hip is more firmly affixed to Caleb. A lavender hand reaches out and strokes a cool, dirt speckled cheek. The other clutches at the periapt dangling above his heart. “This is the nicest thing I've even gotten for myself. It was fairly early on in our merry little band's adventure; my first trip to Pumat’s actually. Way before we got together, yet still I remember wanting to give it to you, even then. I had feelings then, but I felt courting gifts were coming on a little strong at that point. I had only just kissed you on the forehead a week prior. But still, I thought about it. Anything to protect our squishy wizard. But I didn't. Because by the time I thought it was right, you had become so strong. You didn't need it anymore, and to give it to you felt silly and overprotective of me. Yet here I am now, crying like the child I never was, filled with regret like I've never felt before. You know I don't like regret or the past, but, by the Moon Weaver herself, I will grieve, and I will dwell, and I will refuse to move on if I can't get you back. It will be pitiful and out of character, and you would hate it. I'm not above threatening a dead man, and you know it!” 

Shaking hands struggle to unclasp the necklace before a solemn looking Fjord kneels to assist. He places the pendant and chain securely in Molly’s hand and gives it a firm squeeze and nod. The nod is returned just before Molly slowly leans down and reaches behind the fallen wizards neck to fasten it once more. The hands remain at the base of Caleb's head, gently scratching at the scalp beneath Auburn locks with his long fingernails. The way that would make the man tilt his head so eerily similar to his feline familiar that is was comical. 

After a couple seconds Molly leans down further still, until his face hangs mere inches above Caleb's. He maintains eye contact with the gently closed lids as he speaks again. “And if that's not enough I promise the best sex you've ever had after this atrocity of a day.” He raises his head to shout, “You hear that Traveler! Sex! And you’ll have front row seats to the show, I promise! What the prude doesn't know won't hurt him! Do we have a deal, you mischievous bastard?!” With that he leans down and smashes his lips to Caleb's unmoving ones in a brief kiss that releases with an audible smack. An airy chuckle rings through the air like wind chimes. Molly gets up quickly after that and turns on his heel over to a thick tree. He punches it once then spins so he can slide down the trunk into a hunched position, his head in his hands as his tail wrapped around his ankle in a self comforting gesture. The campground lays silent for another brief pause before all eyes switch from gazing at Molly with pity to staring at Nott with expectancy. 

Nott had been silent since her initial outburst, leaving Jester to do her work and watching from a couple feet way in quiet terror. Her flask lay untouched on her belt, for in this time of stress she was too nervous the even reach for it. She doesn't even notice when all the eyes turn to her because her eyes have not left Caleb's form the entire time. It wasn't until Fjord clears his throat and gently nudges her shoulder that she is broken from her trance. 

“O-oh right! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry sorrysorry-” The goblin shuffles forward and kneels the short way down to the ground, right next to the side of Caleb's head. The entire time her frantic apologies never stop, and the closer she gets to Caleb's face the closer to sobs they become. By the time she settles next to him she is openly weeping, snot and tears wetting her entire face no matter how much she tries to wipe the offending liquids away. 

“I-I’m so sorry, C-Caleb…” she sniffles loudly, swallowing the lump in her throat making it extremely hard for her to get any words out. “I was… I was supposed to protect you, but- but I failed you. I let you down. I’m so sorry... but you can't! You can't leave me! I still need you!” At that statement the air around the camp grows thick. “I need you to be okay because- because-” everyone is looking at Nott still, but they steal worried glances at each other as well. It had been an unspoken concern between the group, Nott's true intentions with Caleb. 

“-because I won't let you die feeling the way you do about yourself!” A few party members allow air to escape their lungs in either sighs of relief or gasps of surprise. “I didn't want to say it before, because I didn't want to invalidate how you felt. You had the right to be angry with yourself, but you are a good person and I need you to know that! You have grown so much with these people, not just with your magic but as a person. You've come so far, and forgiveness is so close! I need you to have that. I need you to believe that! I need you, Caleb!!” With that Nott throws her small form over the wizard's head, wrapping around him like Frumpkin has done on occasion. The sobs shake her, each one heaving as she draws air in harshly and quickly to compensate.

“I don't have much to give you, but know that I would give anything- anything to save you. I would stay in this body until the end of my days so long as you are right there beside me.” She blindly reaches into her side pouches, pulling out various small trinkets and showering Caleb's body with them. Buttons, stray spell components and jewels alike clatter against the accumulated articles, some falling off in her haste. When the bags are empty she rips off the pouches themselves, then her belts with all her flasks and vials, then her cloak. She pauses then and whispers into his hair, “You were the first person that I didn't have to hide from. I don't want to hide anymore! Caleb, please!” She then starts tearing at her bandages violently, exposing more of herself than she has in months. Finally, she lays her mask atop the pile, all the while still sobbing and soaking the patch of auburn hair where her head lays pressed to his.

It is then that Jester hears the voice again accompanied by the faint sound of clapping. However, now she has the inert sense that the voice speaks to her and her alone. “Well, well, well, this certainly was entertaining. In the heartfelt, tear jerking kind of way. You and your band have performed well for me, my dear Jester. And for that your wish will be honored.” 

As the echoing voice finishes the fairy lights begin to slowly coalesce at the center of the campsite, directly above Caleb. Once gathered into a large head sized mass, it begins to descended into Caleb's chest. The group watches on in amazement and waits.

A moment passes. 

Another.

Another.

A gasp rings out, breaking the tense air like glass, shattering and releasing it's hold on all their hearts instantly. None of them move for a second.

Another.

A muffled voice sounding strangely identical to the most amazing thing to ever be heard by any of them calls out, “Nott. I can not see or breathe-”

“CALEB!!” All their voices ring out in unison as they all rush to his sides. Nott extracts herself to look down into his face, and her crying intensifies tenfold as she wraps her small arms tightly around his neck in an unrelenting hug.

When Caleb makes only semi-hyperbolic choking noises Fjord reaches to pull Nott away. “Nott. NOTT. You're gonna kill him again- leggo- NOTT! YA FUCKIN- DON'T YOU BITE ME YA LITTLE PIECE A SHIT!” He only manages to extract the clingy goblin for a fraction of a second before a purple and red blur replaces her immediately. Mollymauk throws himself at Caleb in a fashion that is only slightly less dangerous than pile driving the man, knocking all the wind out of the woozy wizard in the process. His wheeze is cut short by the tiefling's lips colliding with his own. 

When the oxygen deficiency becomes too much, Caleb resorts to weakly patting Molly’s back three times. It may even be described as practiced. Molly retracts immediately but then showers every other inch of Caleb that he can reach with kisses. 

I takes everyone a while of just soaking in Caleb's continued existence before anyone is really up to speak. Caleb seems too take into account his partial burial in trinkets and quickly deduces the situation, taking it in and breathing deeply.

Jester looks on at the scene, literally at the head of it given the wizard is still using her lap as a pillow, and feels pride well up inside her. All her friends are together, tear stained but smiling, and she- she did that? Her family is still whole because she really did it. She sends a quick prayer of thanks to the Traveler and all his gifts before turning to Nott. The goblin has, though less aggressively so, made her way back to Caleb's side, right next to Jester. “So Nott~ that was pretty cool right? I don't think Caleb can do th-” She is cut off by a tight squeezing sensation around her waist.

Looking down she sees Nott with tiny arms clamped around her, not dissimilar to how she embraced Caleb earlier. “Thank you, Jester. You're amazing. Thank you.” The gratitude is mumbled into the fabric of her dress, muffled and probably unheard by anyone else. But that's alright. Jester heard it.

**Author's Note:**

> I've written many a fic before, this one was the first I really decided buckle down and finish so im pretty proud. Hope you guys enjoyed! Comments would make my day!


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